Toy airplane



p 1, 1931- k R. M.-BAYLIS 1,821,172

TOY AIRPLANE Filed Jan. 2'7, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 05522" N.BAH/L16.

P 1931- R. BAYLIS 1,821,172

TOY AIRPLANE Filed Jan. 27, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR 20.5[27' /7-34/1/5- p 1, 1931- X R. M BAYLIS 1,821,172

TOY AIRPLANE Filed Jan. 27, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY? R. M. BAYL'SSept. 1, 1931.

TOY AIRPLANE Filed Jan. 2'7, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lNVENTCR 2019527/7-BflYL/-S BY JAM/QM 17W ATTORNEY l atented Sept. 1, 193i PATENT OFFICEROBERT M. BAYLIS, OF DAYTON, OHIO TOY AIRPLANE Application filed January27, 1930. Serial No. 423,689.

This invention relates to improvements in toy airplanes, and has for itsobject to provide a toy in the form of an airplane having wings adaptedto be folded or extended, with means for holding the wings in a normallyextended position.

It is an object of this invention to provide, in connection with thefront end of the airplane, a dummy or figure removably supported thereonby. a trigger which is released when the toy begins to fall by adecrease in the air force, due to loss of momentum of the projected toy.Cooperating with this trigger in holding the figure in place is ameanscooperating with the wings for holding the wings in folded positionwhile the figure or dummy is seated or positioned on the front end ofthe frame.

Another object of this invention is to provide, in connection with thefigure or dummy,

a parachute by which the dummy may descend after it has been releasedfrom the frame; the dummy on the front end thereof, and the 2 wingsfolded, the whole assembly is projected into the air by means of arubber band or some suitable means for that purpose.

After the toy plane has lost it momentum it begins to fall with thefigure or dummy 80 down. At this time the lack of air force upon thetrigger releases the dummy, which falls, and-is supported in its fall bythe parachute. At the same time the release of the dummy releases themeans for maintaining the wings in folded condition so that the wingsare now spread out and the airplane sails to the ground by means of theoutspread wings.

These and other objects will appear from the following description,taken in connection with the drawings, which show a preferred embodimentof this invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the toy in condition for being projectedinto the air.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan View of the toy as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows the toy after it has been shot into the air and the dummyreleased and When the plane is provided with the wings outspread so thatboth the dummy and the airplane are falling.

Figure 4 is a view of the lever mechanism for operating the wings andholding them either in a folded or spread condition.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the trigger used to hold the dummy onthe front end of the plane and the wings in folded condition.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the toy with the wings folded.

Figure 7 is a view showing the frame structure of the wings.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the toy with the wings outspread and thedummy released.

The main structural body of this toy consistsof a longitudinal beam 1.On the rear end of the beam is a vertical stabilizer 2. Adjacent thevertical stabilizer and attached to the beam is a horizontal stabilizer3. Adjacent the front end of the beam and extending upwardly therefromis a bracket having two parallel vertical arms 4. These arms have intheir upper ends holes in which a trigger 5 is supported. The rear endof the trigger is broad and flat, while on the front end is a hook 6.The trigger is supported in the bracket by means of pivot arms 7 whichare seated within the holes in the upper ends of the bracket arms.

On the front end of the frame is a figure or dummy 8, removably heldthereon to the frame by a rubber band 9 around the upper body part ofthe figure, which engages the hook 6 on the trigger 5. The other or,lower end of the dummy is engaged by a member extending back to thewings and which will be later described. To the lower end of the dummythere is attached a parachute 10 by means of a cable 11. The purpose ofthis parachute is to support the dummy when it is released from theframe, due to the tripping of the trigger 5.

Located intermediate the ends of the frame or beam are wings 12 composedof some fabric material. These wings are supported by frame members suchas shown in Figure 7. The rear one of the frame members is indicated bythe numeral 13 and is pivotally mounted at a point 14 to the beam. Onthe outer end of this member is a loop 15. The other member of the wingframe cooperating with the member 13 is a front member 16 pivoted at 17to the frame. This member has near the frame a loop 18. It also has onits outer end a loop 19 through which the member 13 passes .and slidesduring the operation of folding and spreading the wings. The loop 15 isfor the purpose of preventing the loop 19 from being detached from themember 13.

The wings are operated for spreading and closing purposes by means of alever 20, shown in Figure 4. This lever is composed of heavy wire or asmall rod bent as shown in this figure. At one end of the lever theparts of the rod are in contact with each other, while at the other endof the lever the parts of the rod form spaced arms 21. In these arms areformed loops 22 by means of which they are pivotally supported by a pinor rod 22' extending through the beam 1 adjacent the fronts of thewings. The free ends 23 of the arms 21 extend into the loops 18 foroperating the frame of the wings to spread or close the wings.

The other end of the lever remote from the free-ends 23 is provided withan elbow 24 adapted to be engaged by a rubber band for the purpose ofprojecting the toy into the air. On the end of the lever adjacent theelbow is a rubber band 25 which fits over the lower end of the figure ordummy and cooperates with the rubber band 9 and the trigger 5 forholding the dummy on the front end of the beam, and for holding thewings in a folded condition, as shown in Figure 1. WVhen in .thisposition a rubber band 29 is placed on the elbow 24. The end of the band29 remote from the elbow is held by one-hand of the operator, while therear end of the beamof the toy airplane is held by the other hand of theoperator. In this position the hands are moved apart so that the rubberis stretched and brought into a state of tension.

When in this condition the hand releases the rear of the toy so that theforce of the rubber causes the toy to be projected into the air. As thetoy travels through the air the trigger is slightly raised and held inthis position, as shown by dotted line A in Figure 1, by the force ofthe air until the toy' loses its momentum and begins to fall. At thistime the trigger flips over and releases the rubber band 9, due to thedecrease of air pressure on the trigger and also due to the fact that,when the trigger is in the dotted line position shown in Figure 1, therubber band 9 engages the hook 6 slightly off pivot. The tripping of thetrigger releases the upper end of the dummy so that it tumbles off fromthe front end of the beam and releases the rubber band 25 from the lowerend of the dummy so that the wings are out-spread. 'In this conditionthe dummy is separated from the airplane and falls, supported by theparachute, while the toy airplane glides to the ground supported by theout-spread wings.

For the purpose of cooperating with the lever 20 to hold the wingsout-spread there is a rubber band 26 attached at one end to the beam ata point 27, and at the other end to the lever at a point 28. The purposeof the rubber band 26 is to hold the lever in a substantially upright orpartly rearwardly inclined position, as shown in Figure 3. In thisposition the wings are out-spread for soaring or flying purposes. Whenthe parts are assembled for the purpose of projecting the completetoyinto the air the lever 20 is pulled forward with the rubber band orloop 25 over the lower end of the figure or dummy, as shown in Figure 1.In this position the ends 23 of the lever 20 force the wings backwardsubstantially parallel with the beam so that they are in a foldedcondition, and remain in this condition until the trigger 5 is released.

This toy is easily operated, and easily assembled and adjusted foroperating purposes.

I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as may beclearly embraced within my claims and the scope of my. invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letter Patent, is: v

1. In a toy airplane, a longitudinal member, a pair of wings pivoted oneto each side of said member, said wings being normally in an extendedposition, and an air pressure operated means to releasably hold saidwings in a folded position.

2. In a toy airplane, a longitudinal member, a pair of foldable wings.one pivoted to each side of said member, said wings being normally in anextended position, and means to releasably hold said wings in foldedposition, said means including a. demountable 1 member engaging thefront end of said first mentioned member.

3. In a. toy airplane, a body member, a wing pivoted to each side'of thebody member, means to operate said wings to spread or fold them, meansacting on the first named means to spread the wings, and a releasablemeans including an air pressure operated trigger acting on the firstnamed means and against the last named means to hold the wings in foldedposition.

4. in a toy airplane, a body, a wing foldably mounted on each side ofthe body, yielding means tending to hold said wings spread. andreleasable means to hold said wings folded against the action of saidyielding means, said releasable means including a detachable figure onthe end of the body.

5. In a toy airplane, a body, a wing foldably mounted on each side ofthe body, a

lever member pivoted to said body to spread and to fold said wings,yielding means attached to said body and to said lever member tonormally hold said wings spread, a figure on the front end of said body,and means attached to one end of said lever to releasably. engage saidfigure to hold the wings folded against the action of said yieldingmeans.

6. In a toy airplane, a body, a pair of wings on said body, a levermember pivoted to said body to spread and to fold said wings, yieldingmeans attached to said body and to said lever member to normally holdsaid wings spread, a figure removably mounted on the front end of saidbody, yielding means'releasably connecting the lower end of said figureto the end of said lever, and a trigger releasably attached to the upperend of said figure whereby the figure is held on the end of the body andthe wings are held folded until the trigger is tripped.

7. In a toy airplane, a body, a pair of wings on said body, a levermember pivoted to said body to spread and to fold said wings, yieldingmeans attached to said body and to said lever member to-normally holdsaid wings spread, afigure removably mounted on the front end of saidbody, yielding means releasably connecting the lower end of said figureto the end of said lever, a trigger releasably attached to the upper endof said figure whereby the figureis heldon the end oi the body and thewings are held folded until the trigger is tripped, said triggerincluding an air vane mounted for initial movement by air pressurecaused by the movement of the toy through the air, mounted to be furtherI moved and thus tripped by pressure from the figure upon loss of airpressure on the vane efi'ected through the loss of momentum of thetoy,whereby the figure is released from said body.

8. In a toy airplane, a body, a pair of wings 4 on said body, meansnormallytending to hold said wings spread, means acting against saidfirst means to hold the wings folded, said second namedmeans including afigure loosely mounted on said body and connected at one end to saidfirst named means, and a trigger releasably connected to the other endof said figure, whereby when the trigger is tripped the figure isreleased and the wings spread by the action of the first named means. I

9. In a toy airplane, a body, wings on said body, yielding means tendingto hold said wings spread, a figure loosely mounted on said body, meansto hold said figure on said body and to hold the wings folded againstthe action of said yielding means, said last means including a triggeradapted to be tripped, whereby the figure falls from the body and thewings are spread, and a parachute to support the figure when separatedfrom the body.

10. In a toy airplane, a body, wings on said body, yielding meanstending to hold said wings spread, a figure loosely mounted on saidbody, means to hold said figure on said body and to hold said wingsfolded against the action of said yielding means, said last meansincluding a detachable connecting means between the figure and saidyielding means and a broad flat trigger pivoted to said body anddetachably connected to said figure, and means to project said airplaneinto the air, all eonstructed so that when the airplane loses itsmomentum and starts to fall'the lack of air pressure on the trigger willcause the trigger to release the figure whereby the wings are spread andthe plane will glide to the ground.

11. In a toy airplane, a body, wings on said body, yielding meanstending to hold said wings spread, a figure loosely mounted on saidbody, means to hold said figure on said body and to hold said wingsfolded against the action of said yielding means, said last meansincluding a detachable connecting means between the figure and saidyielding means and a broad flat trigger pivoted to said body anddetachably connected to said figure, a parachute attached to the figure,and means to project said airplane into the air, all constructed so thatwhen the airplane loses its momentum and starts to fall the air willtrip the trigger to release the figure whereby the wings are spread andthe plane will guide to the ground.

12. In a toy airplane, a figure detachably supported by said airplane, atrigger pivoted to said airplane adjacent said figure, and meansextending from the figure and engaged by the trig er to hold the figureon the plane when the tifigger is in one position, said triggerincluding an air vane mounted for initial movement by air pressurecaused by movement of the toy through the air, the trigger being mountedto be further moved and thus tripped by said means connected therewithupon the loss of air pressure efiected through the loss of momentum ofthe toy, whereby the figure is released from said airplane.

13. In a toy airplane, a figure detachably supported by said airplane, abroad fiat trigger pivoted at one end to said airplane adjacent to saidfigure, and means extending from the figure and engaged by the pivot endof the trigger to hold the figure on the airplane when the trigger is inone position, said trigger being adapted to be tripped to release thefigure when the airplane falls.

14. In a toy airplane, a figure detachably supported on the front ofsaid airplane, a bracket on said airplane adjacent the figure, a triggerpivoted at one end to said bracket, the pivot end of said trigger havinga hook thereon while the body part of the trigger is broad and flat andbent toward the airplane, and means connecting the figure to said hookso that the figure will be held on the airplane when the trigger liesadjacent the airplane, 4

said trigger eing adapted to trip when the airplane falls to release thefigure.

15. In a toy airplane having a longitudinal beam, a figure adapted to besupported in an upright position on the front end of said beam, means toengage and hold the lower part of said figure as long as said figure isin upright position on said beam, a trigger, and means connectedtherewith to engage the upper part of said figure and in cooperationwith the first named means hold the figure in said upright position,said trigger including an air vane mounted for initial movement by airpressure caused by movement of the toy through the air, the triggerbeing mounted to be further moved and thus tripped by said meansconnected therewith upon the loss of air pressure effected through theloss of momentum of the toy, whereby the figure is released fromthebeam.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

ROBERT M. 'BAYLIS.

